


In The Wind

by Streetlamp_Sunset



Series: Edge of a Cliff [1]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Best Friends Patrick Brewer & Alexis Rose, Falling In Love, M/M, Patrick Brewer is a Button, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:07:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27657272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Streetlamp_Sunset/pseuds/Streetlamp_Sunset
Summary: “What can I help you with today, David?”"This may come as a shock to you,” David said, “but I have never actually been inside a general store.”"No, I got that," Patrick laughed.After New York, David goes in search of Alexis and finds Patrick instead.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Series: Edge of a Cliff [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022298
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41





	In The Wind

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing another chapter of On The Edge of a Cliff and it wound up being about David and Patrick instead. So, prequel.

“I’ll be right out,” Patrick called, hefting a box of conditioner from the top shelf. The store didn’t open until eight, but Alexis liked to swing by to get first pick of their produce for her post run smoothies. Patrick nearly upended the box as the bell next to the register went off again, three times, in rapid succession. He rolled his eyes, “You know, we’re not-”

Patrick pushed through the curtain to find a man who was decidedly not Alexis and the rest of the sentence faded from his tongue, “open yet.” 

He ignored Patrick in favor of adjusting the wrap of his scarf. It crossed over the collar of a distressed black sweater that was probably worth more than the collective contents of the store. Patrick was struck with the niggling feeling of having met him before, but he definitely would’ve remembered if he had.

“Are you planning on standing there all morning?” 

Patrick’s stomach flipped as he raised an eyebrow. His gaze was dark, searing and expectant. The shock of it tingled all the way into his fingertips. Oh, fuck, his grip was slipping.  Patrick hurried to hoist the box onto the counter. 

“Well, that looked effortless.” 

“Thanks,” Patrick grinned, “I’ve been working out.”

“Mmm, I’m sure you have,” the man’s lips quirked with amusement, gaze lingering on Patrick’s arms. He absentmindedly straightened the baskets sitting next to the register, turning over a tube of lip balm to inspect the label.

“David,” Patrick realized aloud. 

Alexis had mentioned her brother a few nights ago towards the bottom of their second bottle of wine, something about New York and an unforgivable act of betrayal. Alexis also categorized David changing his Instagram handle without consulting her as an unforgivable act of betrayal, so Patrick hadn’t given it much thought. 

“You’re David Rose.”

“Stalker much?” David asked, raising an eyebrow in a frankly impressive contortion of his face. There was a familiar fluidity in the turn of his wrist as he set a lip balm back on the counter.

“Oh, uh, I’m friends with your sister,” he held out his hand, only half surprised that she hadn’t mentioned him, “Patrick.”

“You’re friends with Alexis?” David asked skeptically, fingers curling over his wrist. Patrick flushed as David looked him over, which only seemed to intensify his scrutiny.

Patrick broke away, shoving his fist in the pocket of his jeans.  _ I think you’re the only real friend I’ve ever had.  _ He didn’t know how much David knew, but it wasn’t his story to tell.

Patrick shrugged. David was still waiting, studying him with an expectant look on his face. He imagined there weren’t a lot of people that said no to David Rose. Heat rushed through him, flush spreading into his chest. That train of thought was unproductive, unprofessional.

Professional. He could do professional. Patrick cleared his throat.

“What can I help you with today, David?”

"This may come as a shock to you,” David said, “but I have never actually been inside a general store.” 

"No, I got that," Patrick laughed.

“And this was the first business that looked open,” David added. Patrick didn’t bother correcting him, the semantics had certainly never bothered Alexis. 

“What brings you to town?” he asked instead.  David’s expression shuddered before going deliberately neutral.

“I’m here for my sister,” he said shortly. David exhaled, hands balled up against his stomach. Restless, he twisted a wide silver ring over the first knuckle of his finger. Patrick tampered down the urge to ask him if he was okay. “Since you’re apparently friends, do you happen to know where I can find her?” David asked, “she hasn’t been answering my texts.”

"We’re meeting for breakfast, but she’s probably on a hike,” Patrick smiled at the bewildered expression on David’s face as he mouthed ‘hike’. “There's a café right across the street,” he said, nodding in its direction, “I'll finish up here, text Alexis, and we can regroup in twenty." 

“Okay, that sounds… nice actually,” David sounded surprised. A brittle smile played over his mouth as he glanced out the window.

“Uh, unless you want to stay and help. We can walk over together,” Patrick suggested before his words caught up to him. He bit the edges of his tongue, hard. 

"Well, I wouldn’t want to leave you to finish alone," David said teasingly and Patrick’s stomach swooped. "I can assist in a supervisory capacity."

Right. That was. Patrick swallowed.

"You could," he glanced around for literally anything that needed to be done on the off chance that David asked, "you could sweep the floor." Patrick passed him the broom. It dangled from David’s fingertips.

"Yes, I'll just … get right on that," he leaned the handle against the counter, careful to minimize contact with the knit of his fingerless gloves. 

Patrick grinned, ducking his head as he moved to do a final check of the shelves.

“Is there anywhere I can stay in this town that’s not also a real estate office,” David frowned at his phone as if unsure of his next words, “an engagement photo venue, and closet organization business. Um, that can not be correct.”

“It is,” Patrick said, “but there’s Stevie’s place.” David’s brows furrowed.

“Stevie’s place sounds like a shelter for battered men.”

Patrick snorted. Stevie still scared him a little, quiet and unexpectedly sharp. Once, she’d driven two hours out of her way in a snowstorm to jump his car. It was the third conversation they’d ever had. 

“She keeps bees.” The image of her plunking a five gallon pail of raw honey on his doorstep as a housewarming gift was the first coherent thing that sprung to mind. 

“She keeps bees,” David repeated slowly. 

“It’s a big house,” although, now that he thought of it, he and David probably had very different definitions of the word, “so she rents out the spare room.”

David hummed in acknowledgement, frowning as he went back to scrolling his phone. Patrick faced the display of breakfast cereal and didn’t ask why he wasn’t planning on staying with Alexis.

**Author's Note:**

> As with On The Edge of a Cliff, I'll probably add more if the inspiration comes. I always welcome feedback or ideas. Thank you very much for reading!!  
> ❤️ Sunset


End file.
